Improvement in food-cups for bird-cages



e. SEYFANG.

FOOD-CUP FOR BIRD-CAGES.

No.184,1 ;7 8. Patented Nov. 7, 1876.

FIG.1. FIG. 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE SEYFANG, OF BUFFALO, YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN FOOD-CUPS FOR BIRD-CAGES.

' Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 184, [78, dated November 7 1876; application filed 1 April 7, 1876.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, GEORGE SEYFANG, of the city of Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented an Improved Food-Cup for Bird-Gages; and I do hereby declare that the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying sheet of drawings, forms a full, clear, and we act specification.

My present invention relates to the construction of the food-cups for bird-cages; and it consists in the arrangement, with said foodcups, ofa sliding bar suspended by peculiarlyarranged springs in such manner that said springs, acting upon said sliding bar, will keep the food-cup suspended, while the opening in the cage for the admission of said food-cups will'be partially closed by said sliding bar and springs as soon as the food-cup is removed from the cage.

. In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the same, Ishall proceed to describe its particulars of construction, thereby referring to the hereinbefore-mentioned drawings, in Which Figure 1 is a fragment of a bird-cage provided with my improved food-cup, illustrating the same in a front elevation. Fig. 2 is a side view. Fig. 3 is a front elevation, the cup being removed. Fig. 4 is a plan taken through the line w a: of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a modified form of the device shown in the preceding figures.

Like parts are designated by corresponding letters in all the figures.

A represents the lower and B the middle horizontal bands of either a round, square, or polygonal bird-cage. O is a short section or an auxiliary band placed a suitable distance above the lower band, and embracing five of the filling-wires D. These filling-wires extend from top to bottom of the cage, with the exception of three wires on opposite sides of the cage, which extend only from the top to the middle band and from the bottom to the auxiliary band, thus leaving an unobstructed opening between these two bands for the introduction of the supporting device of and for the food-cups G. E is a supporting-bar sliding upon the two filling-wires D D, it being provided with perforations near its extremities hold the food-cups in proper position. One extremity of these springs passes through the auxiliary band G into the lower band A, and each has, just above said auxiliary band, a few ispiral turns, 0, to make them more flexible. The spring F passes diagonally across the space between the wires D D, and over the wire D, where it is provided with a U-shaped or return-bend, I,and thence passes vertically to the bar E, terminating in an eye, E, that embraces this bar. The spring F is similarly arranged, except thatit transverses said space in an opposite direction, and therefore crosses the spring F. G, ashereinbefore .mentioned,

is the food-cup. It is made of any suitable material, glass being preferred, and it has in its serrated rim and near the half-crown two indents, K, diametrically opposite each other,

by means of which it engages with the middle band B. On the bottom the food-cups are provided with projections or prongs N, serving as stops to prevent the food-cup from being pushed too far into the cage, while in its front there is a bridge-piece, L, connecting the serrated projecting rim with the main body of the cage. This bridge-piece, being an incline, causes the sliding bar E to move downwardly away from the middle band, when the foodcup is inserted between .this band and bar, while the springs F F, acting upon said bar E, retain the food-cup in proper position in conjunction with the indents K in the rim of said cups, which engage the middle band. To remove the food-cups, they are depressed to disengage the 'indents K, when they may be readily withdrawn. As soon as the food-cup is removed the supportingbar E will move upwardly until the bents I on the springs F F come in contact with the wires D D, as shown in Fig. 3. In this position the opening for the food-eupor, rather, the space between the sliding bar E and middle band B- is reduced to that between the filling-wires, and the said opening sufficiently diminished to prevent the escape of the bird through the same.

It will be observed that the springs F F cross the space between the wires D D and auxiliary band C and sliding bar E diagonally,

and thereby obstruct the opening below said bar caused by the removal of three of the fillin g-wires to allow the sliding of said bar, and thus prevent the escape of the bird through this space.

The sliding bar is connected to the springs F F by the eyes H H embracing said bar, and it will, therefore, follow the movement of said springs, and vice versa.

In Fig. 5 I illustrate a modification of my device. Instead of making the sliding bar E solid, and connecting the same to the springs F F by the eyes H, I make the same hollow and with a slot-hole near both its extremities for the passage of the bent end of said springs. When the bar is pushed upward by the action of the springs, the bent will strike the end of the slot-ho1es, and thus prevent the further upward movement of the bar.

' I am aware that springs have been employed to support the food-cup in position. I, therefore, do not claim, broadly, the application of such for the'purpose stated; but

- What I do claim, and desire to secure to me by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. The combination, with a supporting-bar,

of two supporting-springs transversing each other, and connected to said bar, substantially in the manner and for the use and purpose described. 2. The combination, with the springs F F, of the return-bends I engaging with the tilling-wires D D, substantially as described, for the purpose of checking the upward movement of the supporting-bar at a predetermined point, substantially as described, for the purpose stated.

3. The comhination, with the food-cup G,v

having the indents K in the upper rim, of the stationary band B, sliding support E, and the springs F F, the whole, when arranged to operate, substantially as described, for the purpose mentioned.

4. The springs F F, passing through the auxiliary band 0 into the lower band A, with one of their extremities, and provided with the return-bends I and eyes-H on their other extremity, said springs being also provided with the spiral turns 0 near their junction with the auxiliary band C, for the purpose stated.

5. The combination, with the auxiliary band O, of the springs F F, constructed with the spiral turns 0, return-bends I, and eyes H, sliding bar E, and the food-cup G, substantially as described, for the purpose stated.

6. The combination, with the auxiliary band O, of the springs F F, constructed with thespiral turns 0, return-bends I, and the eyes H, sliding bar E, engaging the filling-wires D D, and the food-cup G, having the pro- 

